- Volunteer divers removed waste near Greece’s Alonissos in a major EU-funded cleanup.
- Pollution hotspots were found near the port of Votsi, a busy tourism and fishing hub.
- Greece aims to protect 30% of its marine waters and expand marine parks by 2030.
Volunteer divers off the coast of Alonissos collected marine debris such as decaying plastics and discarded fishing equipment near one of Europe’s largest marine parks.
While much of the sea appeared clean, key areas like the port of Votsi—central to and fishing—were significantly polluted.
Alonissos Leads the Way in Marine Conservation Efforts
Alonissos, an island in the eastern Aegean Sea, is making headlines for its proactive stance on marine pollution. Volunteers recently took part in a two-day seabed cleanup, recovering various debris from waters surrounding the island’s protected marine park—home to rare Monk seals, dolphins, and sea turtles.
Though many areas were relatively clean, the port of Votsi stood out as a pollution hotspot, likely due to heavy boat traffic and tourism activity. Divers like Theodora Francis observed stark contrasts between untouched areas and those impacted by human activity, reinforcing the need for targeted conservation.
In response to increasing threats to marine ecosystems, Greece has committed to expanding marine protected areas to cover 30% of its territorial waters by 2030. Part of this involves creating two new marine parks and regulating activities such as fishing and offshore energy development through EU-backed initiatives.
Organizations like Aegean Rebreath are fostering environmental responsibility at the grassroots level. Their president, George Sarelakos, stresses the importance of individual action, suggesting that small, local efforts can lead to significant change when adopted widely.
Alonissos stands as proof that with collective effort and strong local engagement, even small communities can make a lasting impact on marine conservation.
“We won’t have a society if we destroy the environment.” — Margaret Mead
